Earth. It had been almost a year since Senior Intelligence Officer Karap Sownus had approached him with the offer to double as First Admiral Caudwell. In that year, Jed had grown to enjoy his days and nights amongst the First Admiral’s species. His orders had been straightforward and easy to carry out. Do not draw attention to yourself, do not get into trouble and defend yourself only as a last resort. Being invisible in a school of nearly one thousand students was easy. Staying out of trouble was a little less simple, but with the First Admiral’s reputation, having brought down arch-bully Tim Reilly, there was no need for any form of violence or self-defence. So much so, that Jed had stopped using the force-shielding on his Personal Environment Suit for protection; it was now used simply to project the Billy Caudwell school uniform image.
“Move along there! Come on! Move it on!” an angry sounding male teacher called out above the scrimmage of jostling students as Jed turned left into the Staff Corridor.
The Staff Corridor, flanked by the various departmental staff rooms, was an adjoining corridor that linked the old Victorian-built school to the new modern tower block. It was one of those travesties of planning that had located the venerable History Department in the newest part of the school. The Staff Corridor was usually quiet and almost deserted as the two access points to the tower block from the old school were on the first floor above Jed.
Still smiling, Jed walked briskly along the Staff Corridor only vaguely aware of the group of older boys that had gathered by the stairwell close to the connecting door. It was a common enough sight in that part of school; the Monitors Common Room for the Sixth Formers, nominally charged with school discipline, was also located in the Staff Corridor. The group of half a dozen or so boys were laughing and joking as Jed approached them and made his way to the connecting door and his History lesson.
Suddenly, a leg shot out; the foot leaning against the wall opposite, blocking his progress along the corridor.
“Hello, hello, who do we have here then?” a voice called out from amongst the group.
“Come on, guys; I gotta get to mister McCrindle’s,” Jed smiled.
“I gotta get to mister McCrindle’s,” the voice mocked in a falsetto tone as its owner emerged from the depths of the group.
Michael Thomas Stewart, known as Micky, had just turned eighteen and was new to the school. By some strange quirk of fate, Micky had become a Monitor, having been appointed by the Rector. At just under two metres, Micky was tall with a powerful athletic physique. As a newcomer, Micky was an unknown quantity amongst the school body, but he seemed to be popular, especially amongst the girls; and he was quick-witted with a ready smile to share a joke.
“Seriously, I’ll be in trouble if I’m late,” Jed smiled.
Horseplay was part and parcel of any school’s culture. At this school it was always intended to be fun and with no malice involved. With that mindset, Jed did not notice the other boys in the group beginning to form a circle around him.
“You’re already in trouble for trespassing, Caudwell,” Micky smiled wickedly.
“Come on, guys,” Jed began and suddenly felt a powerful tug at his arm as his shoulder bag was snatched away from him.
“Oi!” Jed called, turning to see the smiling face of one of the boys holding his bag.
“Over here, Jimmy,” a voice behind Jed called; and the bag was flung just over his head, to the caller.
“Hey, you may not have classes to go to but I have,” Jed protested resigning himself to a game of chase and catch for his own books.
“Over here, Pete,” another voice called and the bag sailed through the air once more.
Turning quickly and reaching up, Jed found he was only just a little too short to catch the bag.
“To me, Mike,” another voice called out as the bag arced upwards once more.
Turning quickly again, Jed
“Move along there! Come on! Move it on!” an angry sounding male teacher called out above the scrimmage of jostling students as Jed turned left into the Staff Corridor.
The Staff Corridor, flanked by the various departmental staff rooms, was an adjoining corridor that linked the old Victorian-built school to the new modern tower block. It was one of those travesties of planning that had located the venerable History Department in the newest part of the school. The Staff Corridor was usually quiet and almost deserted as the two access points to the tower block from the old school were on the first floor above Jed.
Still smiling, Jed walked briskly along the Staff Corridor only vaguely aware of the group of older boys that had gathered by the stairwell close to the connecting door. It was a common enough sight in that part of school; the Monitors Common Room for the Sixth Formers, nominally charged with school discipline, was also located in the Staff Corridor. The group of half a dozen or so boys were laughing and joking as Jed approached them and made his way to the connecting door and his History lesson.
Suddenly, a leg shot out; the foot leaning against the wall opposite, blocking his progress along the corridor.
“Hello, hello, who do we have here then?” a voice called out from amongst the group.
“Come on, guys; I gotta get to mister McCrindle’s,” Jed smiled.
“I gotta get to mister McCrindle’s,” the voice mocked in a falsetto tone as its owner emerged from the depths of the group.
Michael Thomas Stewart, known as Micky, had just turned eighteen and was new to the school. By some strange quirk of fate, Micky had become a Monitor, having been appointed by the Rector. At just under two metres, Micky was tall with a powerful athletic physique. As a newcomer, Micky was an unknown quantity amongst the school body, but he seemed to be popular, especially amongst the girls; and he was quick-witted with a ready smile to share a joke.
“Seriously, I’ll be in trouble if I’m late,” Jed smiled.
Horseplay was part and parcel of any school’s culture. At this school it was always intended to be fun and with no malice involved. With that mindset, Jed did not notice the other boys in the group beginning to form a circle around him.
“You’re already in trouble for trespassing, Caudwell,” Micky smiled wickedly.
“Come on, guys,” Jed began and suddenly felt a powerful tug at his arm as his shoulder bag was snatched away from him.
“Oi!” Jed called, turning to see the smiling face of one of the boys holding his bag.
“Over here, Jimmy,” a voice behind Jed called; and the bag was flung just over his head, to the caller.
“Hey, you may not have classes to go to but I have,” Jed protested resigning himself to a game of chase and catch for his own books.
“Over here, Pete,” another voice called and the bag sailed through the air once more.
Turning quickly and reaching up, Jed found he was only just a little too short to catch the bag.
“To me, Mike,” another voice called out as the bag arced upwards once more.
Turning quickly again, Jed
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